Utrecht Art VBMO

Seven VBMO schools showed their best art works at an exhibition in the Utrecht Town Hall from 4-26 March (2009).



The exhibition was called “Kunstig VBMO” ( Artistic VBMO)

(a VBMO school is literally, "preparatory middle-level vocational education" and lasts four years, from the age of twelve to sixteen)

Four pupils were from the Art Class Central College.

The Central College pays a lot of attention to art education, and has a special Art Class in which 13 pupils are educated four hours a week in drawing, painting, and other visual arts.

Here talents are discovered and developed and encouraged.

The winner was Adbdelbari Talibi, pupil of the Globe College with “Stadsgezicht" (City View) below on this site.

I prefer the painting above but of whom is it ???. (mind out the 5 FC Utrecht weapons below :))

Utrecht 7 May Liberation Utrecht

In the evening of 4 May the illegal radio reports that Norway, Denmark and Holland are set free.



The inhabitants of Utrecht are overjoyed and run into the streets.

The commander of the German troops however, doesn’t accept the capitulation and the Utrecht inhabitants are again chased into their houses. The German soldiers continue shooting.

Finally on 7 May the Canadian and British troops entered Utrecht from the direction of De Bilt.

It is the English 49th West-Riding Reconnaissance Corps Regiment “Polar Bears” under command of the Canadian Arm.

They are called Polar Bears since they were trained in Iceland. More about them next year on this blog :(.

The memorial stone, placed against the wall of Maliebaan 55 on 6 February 1947, makes the remembrance of this day lively.

(artist: Willem van Kuilenburg)

Utrecht 5 May Liberation Day

Today is Liberation Day and it is celebrated by all kinds of events among others by Liberation Festivals.


In Utrecht is a Liberation Tree at the opposite of the place where some years ago a German bunker could be seen.

The characters are in orange, the colour of the Royal Family.

The weapon in the colours red and white, the colours of the city of Utrecht.

I haven't found any information to complete this topic, so just a picture at the Servaes Bolwerk near the Nieuwe Gracht.

Utrecht 4 May Commemoration Day (2)

.
Poem of Ingmar Heytze recited by himself
(november 2001)




OPGEGROEID IN GROOTSE VRIJHEID

Opgegroeid in grootse vrijheid
die niet zelf bevochten werd,
onnozel, vanzelfsprekend,
alsof nooit een volk werd uitgeroeid-
zo dom mag deze dag niet zijn.

Er staat een vleugel op een plein
met nagelhouten toetsen
onder lijkdoek, wit en bruin.
De stilte hamert een refrein.
Zo stil mag deze dag niet zijn.

Zittend voor een sprekend venster
kijken hoe de wereld brandt,
wolkenkrabbers en woestijnen
als katernen in een krant-
zwarter kon een dag niet zijn.

Wie neemt geen genoegen
met een wereld die wordt uitgeveegd?
Wie gelooft door alles heen
in liefde die een antwoord geeft,

alsof tussen verre sterren
iemand onze aarde ziet
en zich niet afwendt van haar pijn
maar zegt dat we vergeven zijn?

Met of zonder kracht van boven,
wars van oorlog en gemis,
dwars door alles heen geloven
in liefde die een antwoord is.

Utrecht 4 May Commemoration Day (1)

Every five years the National Committee 4 and 5 May determines a theme.

For 2006-2010 the theme is: “Freedom you make together”.

In 2009 the sub-theme is: “Freedom and identity”.

The background is, that thoughts about your identity, can affect the freedom of someone else as well in your private life as nation wide.

Not only the war victims of the World War II are commemorated but also the war victims who died in the whole Royal Kingdom, or wherever in the world, from the break out of WWII in war situations or peace missions.

Mr. Thomas Dres - chairman of the "Foundation 4 May Commemoration Prinsesselaan Utrecht" from the eighties on -, took this theme up in his speech, at the beginning of the commemoration of the 50 Utrecht victims of World War II, at the "Field on Honour" Prinsesselaan at the R.K. Cementary St Barbara.

Among the guests, merely relatives of the victims, was among others also the Mayor of Utrecht, Aleid Wolfsen, the alderman Harry Bosch, and last but certainly not least, the former Bishop of Rotterdam (1983 -13.3.1993), Mgr. Philppe Bär.

A grand daughter of one of the war victims told a story about her grandfather H. de Mari.

After that a wreath was layed on behalf of the local government by the mayor and the alderman.
One wreath was layed on behalf of the “Foundation 4 May" and further flowers from other present people concerned.

After "The Last Post" the city poet Ingmar Heytze read a poem with reference to the war.